Minister: Pfizer Vaccine Due To Arrive In January

Read more at Bernews. [Updated] Health Minister Kim Wilson delivered remarks in the House of Assembly today [Dec 11] on the “Covid-19 vaccine for Bermuda.” We will update with the full statement as able, and in the meantime the audio is below.

Update: The Minister said, “Bermuda will be supplied with 9,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and they will arrive on our shores in the first week of January 2021. The Pfizer vaccine is stored at ultra-low temperatures. Most vaccines are refrigerated; but this particular vaccine must be kept in a freezer at -70 degrees Celsius – Arctic conditions.

“The Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences [BIOS] has very generously provided the Ministry of Health with an ultra-low temperature freezer; a specialist piece of equipment to supplement the freezers that the Ministry has also procured.

“The second vaccine source is through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance Geneva, which is administering the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility. Bermuda has joined the COVAX Facility, and has purchased enough doses to cover 20% of our population. The leading vaccines likely to be received by Bermuda are those by AstraZeneca and Moderna.

“An advantage of the AstraZeneca vaccine is that it does not need to be stored at ultra-low temperatures; it is compatible with our existing vaccine fridges. The timeframe for receipt of these vaccines through the COVAX Facility is not yet settled.”

Please note the Pfizer vaccine is based on a two-dose regimen, so 9000 doses should equate to 4,500 total.